Private Ashley Baker:Inquiry into soldier's death continues

Inquiry into soldier's death continues
March 12, 2008 04:08am

A MILITARY inquiry continues today into the death of an Australian soldier found dead from a gunshot wound in his Dili barracks last year.

Private Ashley Baker, 19, was found dead inside a locked toilet cubicle on November 5 last year.

The inquiry yesterday heard the Australian Defence Force (ADF) had not told the soldier's parents about the details of their son's death almost a month after he shot himself while on duty in East Timor.

The Queenslander was found lying on the floor with his rifle between his legs inside a blood splattered toilet block, but no suicide note or farewell letter was found.

About two hours earlier, the soldier had been reprimanded for leaving his rifle unsecured overnight at the Australian helicopter base in Dili, the ADF commission of inquiry has heard.

Senior Sergeant Virginia Nelson, who coordinated the Queensland Police Inquiry into his death for the state coroner, yesterday told the commission she interviewed the private's family on December 2, almost a month after the shooting.
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